Promise me
by TiffanyLopez999
Summary: It has been 5 years since Link left Hyrule. 5 years since Link left Castle Town. 5 years since Link left the castle. 5 Years since Link left the people 5 years since Link left me. His last words? "I'll be back, I promise. I promise." Some promises are made to be broken. Was this promise doomed to fall? T for now, might be M . Disclaimer I don't own the cover art. Or Nintendo
1. Prolouge

5 Years ago, Link left.

He left with no way of contact.

He left me.

HE LEFT ME!

All alone. With the dangers of royal life.

He said that he'd never leave. Never leave me.

But he has.

Oh, he has.

But the question is, will he ever come back?


	2. Chapter 1

It was a dark and stormy night, much like this one, when Link left. He rode out on Epona, hoofs clattering against the wet draw bridge. I have not heard from him since.

5 years. thats how long Link has been gone. 5 Years. And on this exact day, Friday 13, is when he left. If he is still alive, I do not know. But there is one thing I do know, that is: When he comes back, he will have a lot of explaining to do.

I miss my husband. I miss Link. Hyrule misses its king. Ordon misses its hero. I miss...My lover, friend, rival, hero, king, husband. I wish I could see him again. One more time.

But I am beginning to doubt whether I will ever see him again.

I'll always be waiting, Link. Always. I promise.

Let us take a look at Hyrule, let us see what has happened over the course of years, but, in particular, let us take a look at castle town, and, perchance, we shall see Hyrule's princess.

Hyrule:Once a truly prosperous country, exports and imports booming. Crime was low, the forests well taken care of, all peoples taken well care of. To an outsider, or someone who lived in Hyrule, Hyrule was a perfect land. But no land is perfect. There is dark evil, for evil shall always try to find a foot hold. Even in this world of light, there is darkness. For there to be a country, there must be a balance between light and dark. But ever since Hyrule's hero disappeared, evil has been sprouting up. There is fear, and where there is fear, something dark is growing.

Castle town: Castle town has changed. Once the life of Hyrule, it is now as if something, or someone, has pressed the stop button on a remote, and is waiting for the disk to stop spinning. Castle town is living on the edge of a blade. One wrong move, and it could fall.

Thus has been the state of the country since Link left.

Every country needs a hero. When the hero is there, they are taken for granted. But when they are gone...Everything falls apart.

There have been sightings in these lands, there have been rumours. A young rider is about. They call him Strider. But we do not know who he really is, or his intentions. But, hopefully he could be the country's hero. For news of his good doings have reached my ears. And we have pin pointed all our hope, onto that one fleeting shadow. Which we know nothing about.

A/N Yeah...I couldn't resist...I am a Lord of the rings& The Hobbit fan, after all. So of course I try to squeeze in as many references as I can! Sometimes, I don't even realise I'm doing it.

We ride to Isengard!


	3. Chapter 2

Steel clashed against steel. Bloodcurdling cries echoed around. Heavy footfalls resonated around the forests. These noises would have made any lesser man run. But not him. He was used to these sounds. He lived for those sounds. It reminded him that he had a reason to be there. And he wasn't just...running away. Like he had. His entire life. His thoughts swirled as he fell down. His thoughts were giving him a migraine. He sprung back up. He would continue to fight. With an aggravated growl, he thrust against the enemy. He pushed his sword into the enemy's sword. He pulled it out, and twirled his sword, successfully loosening the sword from the enemy's grip. With one more twirl, the sword flew across the glenn. He promptly swung at his enemy's neck, successfully decapitating the enemy. He looked around, sword at the ready in case more enemies approached. There were none. Turning around slowly, confirming that there was no more enemies, he placed his sword back in his scabbard.

This was a usual for him. Slaying anything that tried to enter Hyrule. Anything trying to harm its citizens.

This was his life since he had left Hyrule castle. Not looking back.

It was times like this that Link hated. Times when he had nothing to do. When he had time to travel his swirling thoughts. He tried to think of something else. He tried. Tried was the key word here. But, he could never succeed. His thoughts always circled back to one thing. One person. Zelda. His Zelda. She was still his, right?

Right?

Or maybe she's moved on. Moved onto someone who would be accepted by her council. Someone who had money. Looks. A good reputation. Able to protect. Someone who wasn't him.

Doubt swirled in Link's mind. Could he really believe that Zelda would be faithful to him after five years?

There was only one way to find out.

Link hopped on Epona. He was off to Castle town.

Off to her...


	4. Chapter 3

His look of happiness on his face when he found out that he was going to be the commander of the Hylian army, which he quickly masked with a more sombre expression.

His look of unease as he walked into the ball thrown in his honour., his hand on my arm.

His look of determination when he saw the sorry state that was the Hylian army.

His look of distress when he found out that he was too address the people of Hyrule.

His look of outrage when he saw a knife at my throat, my hands bound, unable to do anything but look at him anxiously, eyes full of fear.

His look of unconcealed resentment when he saw the suitors lining up at the castle door, boasting of pride, contempt, country and money.

His look of unadulterated contentment when I informed him that I returned his affection.

Zelda smiled to herself. All those favourable memories involving him, all those times spent with him. And she was willing to throw it all away. Just because he had left. Zelda inwardly scolded herself. Why was she trying to persuade herself that he wasn't guilty. He'd ridden out of the castle, a castle were he had made nothing but empty truths. All those secrets he'd told. All those secrets she'd told. The hours spent together. It all meant nothing to him, as it seemed. Why else would he run out? Why would he run out from his wife, and soon to be child? She had been meaning to tell him. But he had left. And she had lost their child. Nevertheless, she had felt remorse. Why did the goddesses punish her so? She had no proof of their marriage, apart from the papers. Oh, the papers.

The papers that had to be signed. The treaty's to be drawn. So much work. Perhaps that is why Link left? Couldn't deal with the paper cuts? Wanted the paper to fight against himself? She smiled ruefully. Never had she mocked Link in her head this way. Mocking him reassured her, made her feel better. As if the wall she had built around herself was being fortified. Zelda smirked. It was high time for her to get over her dead marriage. Link wasn't coming back. But young, handsome, eligible princes were. Zelda stalked out her office, and into her bedroom. It was time to call the maid and agree to the council's plan.

It was time to have a husband.

Now, just to divorce a missing man. Zelda rubbed her hands together, grinning in delight. Finally, something that would keep her occupied.


	5. Chapter 4

Epona's hooves thundered across the cobblestones. Hay and dirt trampled underneath clacking shoes. Colour, light, and voices blur into one as Link's senses reactivate as he breathes in the essence of Castle town. Castle town is a familiar memory, reassurance, panic, danger and friendship all packed into one. A swirling storm of euphoria and adrenaline-filled hours.

Link pulls his hood up tighter, concealing his Hylian ears and trademark hat, grateful for the silence that the storm had brung. Soon after the first drop of the rain, the streets had emptied. Link frowned as the ground came into focus. Rainbow paper soaked with the rain, shading the mud puddles into a variety of colors. A celebration of some sort had occurred recently. Link sniffed the air, still fresh. He had always had wolf-like senses that had amplified during his time as a wolf. There had been a celebration recently, and by the way the paper was strewn across the streets, it had no doubt been a royal one. Why would there be a royal celebration that Link hadn't known about?

Heavy, pending steps led him to the door of Telma's bar. Enthusiastic chatter and drunken giggles led him to a seat. The groans of an old drunkard and the sorrows of a young, working man led a waitress to ask what he'd like to drink.

A few minutes later, Link was nursing his drink whilst listening to the Castle town rumors. Bouncing whispers of market and stocks, hyper giggles of love confessions, and finally, what he'd been wanting to know. The royal celebration.

Suitors, potential love interests, a wife divorcing a missing man. They were the words that had embedded themselves in Link's brain as he left in a drunken stupor. It had only been five years. Did she doubt him that much? Or perhaps she had never truly loved him...A marriage of convenience. The people wanted the Princess and the Hero together, and they had gotten it. Perhaps the moment he was gone, she could reign free once more. Perhaps she had been reigning free all this time. After all, he had never expected her to be loyal, he had hoped...But she was a free bird and the Queen of Hyrule. A highly eligible bachelorette. And by the numbers that had shown up braying for her hand, no doubt a very sought after one.

Through haze and bursts of color, he had managed to book himself a room in an inn, how he had managed, recollections failed him. He would sleep off his hangover and bury himself in his thoughts in the morning. Or perhaps the afternoon.


	6. Chapter 5

They were all useless. Poured from the same mold. Handsome, pockets full of riches, boastful clothing, charm dripping from smarmy smiles, devotion. Devotion to her and her throne. All so submissive. Link had been dominant and submissive. The perfect balance. Gentle, caring, humble, handsome. And that boy had the charm of a fish gasping for breath.

Now was not the time to dwell on her dead husband.

 _But perhaps he isn't dea-_

No. She'd let go of those thoughts long before the suitors had come. They were not going to surface now. Would not. She supposed that one of these pathetic beings were to be her future husband.

 _Unless he comes bac-_

No. Don't even go there.

He was dead and that's final. She was sure of it.

 _But perhap-_

No

She was over it

But that didn't stop her from wondering...If, just perhaps...

No.

Perhaps she would retire for the day...

Yes, that did sound like a fine idea.

Sighing, she called the maid, requesting a cup of chamomile tea.

One of her advisors knocked on her door. Zelda hesitated to answer, knowing that he would bring her sheets of ink requiring attention. She decided against answering, instead calling out that she was tired from meeting all the suitors today and that she would be taking the day off. The advisor's steps padded away from the door. The maid soon brought her much needed tea. Thanking her, Zelda was quick to shut the door in her face. It wasn't that she was rude to her maids, she just wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. Before the maid had left the vicinity entirely, Zelda cracked open the door and asked if she could inform the staff that the queen was releasing them from their duties for the night.

Zelda locked her door, and walking into her bedroom. Nearing the bed, she bent down, lifting up a tile in the floor. She reached her hand in and withdrew a glass bottle. Walking towards her bed, she opened the bottle.

She tilted her head back, all too ready for the strong liquid. She hated that Link drove her to this. Perhaps it wasn't him, though...

Her conscious began to wonder to the memories they had shared. Groaning, Zelda shook her head. Now was not the time to go there.

She lifted the bottle to her lips, knowing that she wouldn't even finish it before she would be knocked out by the contents of the bottle. This was the strongest Terminian vodka, and you were never supposed to drink it straight from the bottle.


	7. Chapter 6

His head was pounding, intent on cursing his being with a shuddering world of red and pain. An empty pain caused by a soulless decision.

 _Ow._

On second thoughts, moving wasn't a good idea. Perhaps he would just lie here today and not move...

Wait.

Where was Epona?

Attempting to retrace his steps from the night previous, Link panicked. At some point last night he had lost Epona.

Who knows where she could be?

 _Ow_

The rafters inflict a lot of pain when you hit your head against it.

 _Why did I decide it would be a good idea to drink last night?_

Zelda slithered out of bed, head pounding and an intense urge to puke her body's contents out into the nearest receptacle.

So, this day was off to a great start.

 _Maybe I can just say I'm sick today? Yes. Perhaps that will work...Oh, but the suitors! Screw them. This headache is worse than they are._

Zelda walked over to the door, intent on calling the nearest servant to inform everyone she was sick today.

There was no need.

The door slammed into the wall, no doubt ruining the expensive paint job from the harsh impact.

Her head hurt even more.

The servant's gasping breaths woke her from her thoughts.

"Your highness, your husband's horse is at the front gate!"

Zelda's mouth fell open.

 _Her Husband? Link! Was Link back in town?_

 _Wait._

 _Only Epona._

 _Where was Link?_

Fighting back her fierce headache, Zelda nodded and walked towards the servant. Audrey, was, isn't it?

"Show me, please."

 _Oh, goddesses._

 _Did her voice just break?_

 _What a way to show that she was over Link._


End file.
